


The Stars

by Mystic2102



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Abandonment, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Crying, Felix's sister is in this, Fluff and Angst, Fluffy Ending, How Do I Tag, Hugs, I don't know if this is teen and up or general audiences so let me know which it falls under, Jeongin is older than Seungmin, Jeongin needs a hug, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, Minor Character Death, No Smut, Not Beta Read, Original Character Death(s), Surrogate Olivia Lee, Yang Jeongin | I.N-centric, he isn't though sorry, it isn't explicit just hinted at, it's cute i promise, it's weird i know, okay i'll stop tagging now lol, seungmin and jeongin are brothers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-14 23:07:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16922187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mystic2102/pseuds/Mystic2102
Summary: At first, Jeongin had four stars, and they glowed brighter than any star in the sky. One incident, one downfall, and then he had three stars. Three stars became two, and two became one. All he had left within his stars, was one star that stubbornly glowed, and even then, it was dimming. Even if the light at the end of the tunnel wasn't happiness, it still showed hope.





	The Stars

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pickleknot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pickleknot/gifts).



> Sorry this took so long, but here's a pretty long oneshot of Jeongin/Minho. The others are mentioned but don't say anything besides Jeongin, Seungmin, and Minho. A warning would be that Jeongin's dad leaves but Jeongin and Seungmin are legal adults. Anyway, please enjoy this and sorry that it's not edited! Thank you for reading and drop a request with Jeongin/insert name!

"I've been afraid, don't wanna fade out of my body. I've been astray, barely awake, floating above me. Covered in red, what can I say? I've been a zombie. I'm feeling like, I've been locked in a grave." - Imagine Dragons 'Stuck'

 

Jeongin viewed his family as the stars. His mother, the brightest star of them all, with the brightest smile that rivaled the sun. His father, the biggest star, to prove how big his heart and love for his family was. And Jeongin's favorite star, his brother, Seungmin, who he loved more than any star out there.

The first time he had brought Seungmin outside to look at the stars with him, their mother and father had assumed both were asleep in their bed, tucked in and safe. Seungmin giggled as his tiny hands clutched at Jeongin's baggy tee, as if he knew they shouldn't be out at this time of the night.

Jeongin brought a finger to his lips, quietly shushing his baby brother as if he'd understand him. Jeongin sat at the swing in their backyard, holding Seungmin up as he pointed to the different stars he noticed in the sky. Seungmin giggled and happily clapped, looking at every star Jeongin had pointed to. 

The night they looked at the stars together, had been the last night their life was normal. 

The next day on a stormy night, the house fiercely shook. When Jeongin had brought Seungmin out, it was not to look at the stars, but to escape for their lives. He had held onto his father's hand as they ran, clutching onto Seungmin and a half-burnt picture of their mom that he was able to save. Inside the house, she had passed. To Jeongin, his four stars became three. And all that stayed, were the broken memories.

Jeongin was in Elementary school still, sitting alone on the stairs as he silently waited. He had left when his dad drove up, Seungmin running up to his brother with excitement. All the stars Jeongin needed, were in his brother's eyes.

"Hey, Minnie. How was school today?" Jeongin asked while sitting in the car, grinning at Seungmin from his seat. "It was good, I made lots of friends while there! How was your day?" Jeongin chuckled at the excitement, reassuring Seungmin that his day was better now that he had seen him.

It wasn't until Seungmin was eighteen that Jeongin lost everything he had left. "I'm sorry, Jeongin, but I can't take this life anymore." Seungmin apologized, swiftly packing his suitcase. "Seungmin, wait a second..." His broken words fell deaf on Seungmin's ears, and tears pricked at Jeongin's eyes. 

"You have to understand how I feel, but you are not taking action like I am. Goodbye, older brother." He had walked out the door, and Jeongin tried to clutch onto the remaining stars that desperately hung on Seungmin's back. His attempts were left back in the dust, just like he had been that day by the brother he scrambled to raise.

His father came home that night, and Jeongin swallowed a lump in his throat as he explained what had happened with Seungmin. "You could've stopped him!" His dad yelled, throwing household items they managed to collect over the years of hard work. "He's old enough to take care of himself, he'll he fine, I know him." Jeongin tried to calm him, trying to grab onto the arms that kept throwing objects around like they were nothing.

"No, because of you, this house fell apart. Everything we worked for, fell apart within one night. I hope you're proud of yourself." Jeongin helplessly watched as the third star had fallen from the sky, and in the empty darkness, only one remained.

He worked his shifts that day as if nothing happened, he scrambled to get new jobs to pay for the house that held the remains of their family. In the lonely nights, Jeongin prayed to the stars he loved in the sky, hanging on by a thread of hope.

The phone never rang, even when Jeongin would stay up and stare at it with the one star shining still. When the phone did ring, it happened to be his boss of one of his jobs firing him for being late more than three times.

Jeongin snagged one more job a few days later, making up for the one he had lost. "Hello, you're the new worker, right?" A young man who looked about a year older than him asked. "Yes, you must be the manager. It's nice to meet you."

"My name is Lee Minho, welcome to the cafe. Judging by your resume, I assume you know how this works." Jeongin nodded in reply, "Yes, I am aware of how these work." 

The smile Minho gave him reminded him of the stars, but this one had shone brighter than the sun itself. He caught his cheeks heating up when Minho noticed his staring and pointed it out. He fumbled over a sorry, blushing even more when Minho had ruffled his hair with a wink.

"Sometimes I can feel my bones straining under the weight of all the lives I'm not living." —Jonathan Safran Foer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close 

Jeongin watched as the last star he had left, flickered it's lights in warning. He felt his body grow numb, mirroring the way his mind had felt. Sometime during the many nights of working, Jeongin had managed to collapse from overwork and stress. 

His eyes snapped open, observing his surroundings and listening to the beeping of the machine next to him. He attempted to get up, to get out of the one place he despised the most, panic wretched into his aching body. "Easy there, it's okay. I'm here with you, you're alright." It took a second for Jeongin to realize his brother was holding him up, guiding him back to the uncomfortable, plain bed. 

"Seungmin?" He called out, as if afraid it was another illusion of hope. "I'm here, you're okay now." Jeongin had been anything but okay, he was confused and angry, shocked and happy. His star was but a dim light, distrusting and scarred. "Why are you here?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows and clutching at the thin blanket covering him.

"What do you mean why? You passed out and you're in the hospital, why wouldn't I be here?" Seungmin confusedly asked, setting up the tasteless food the hospital supplied. But Jeongin was not hungry, he was angered and saddened by Seungmin's words. He had not been there during the time Jeongin needed him most, he had not shone next to Jeongin and helped him through falling.

"I don't need your help, please leave now." Jeongin's voice was steady and patient, everything he wasn't. "Jeongin you need..."

"No, I don't need you or your help. I've gone this long without you, I can continue to do so." Seungmin looked at him with guilt, regret even, in his eyes. But Jeongin ignored him, swiftly changing and informing the hospital of his leave. 

He had rushed to go to work right after, forcing himself to forget about what happened. "Good afternoon, Jeongin. You're a bit late to work, did something happen?" He was greeted by the warmth of Minho's voice, the only thing his star continued shining for. 

"I just got discharged from the hospital, it was..." His words fell on his lips when Minho pulled him into a tight hug, checking over his body fro any injuries. "Are you okay? You aren't hurt, are you?" Minho asked him, forcing him to sit down and calling for a different employee to watch over the counter.

Jeongin wanted to say he was, that he was desperately in pain and confused by it. But his wounds had not been physical, even if it may have felt like it at times. "I'm fine, Minho. I just fainted at work and it wasn't bad. I have to work right now, let me clock in..." Jeongin helplessly pleaded, for a distraction against his reality, his feelings. 

"If you want to work, it has to only be at the counter. Don't overwork yourself, i'll be at the counter with you, okay?" Jeongin nodded at the conditions, freezing in place when Minho had pecked his lips before turning around and walking away.

At the counter, the worker tending to it, Hyunjin, had brightly smiled at the two. He had hoped they would get together, being childhood friends with Minho and witnessing his ship sailing right in front of him had made him giddy.

Jeongin did not know what happened with his brother, but worry clawed at his mind during his shift. Did he push him away too much? He knew it was better if his baby brother stayed away from him, he was a disappointment. He couldn't drag his brother down, and if it meant breaking his heart to protect him, he was okay with that.

When his shift was over, he saw Minho waiting at the front door in normal clothes. "Jeongin, I want to talk to you." He hated when people said that, the first time he heard those words, his brother's star had fallen out of the sky, away from home, away from him.

"The past month that you've worked, I have gotten closer to you." Jeongin didn't know where this was going, he was tense and nervous. He fiddled with his fingers to try and calm his rushing mind, thoughts and fears flowing through his mind like a rushing waterfall. He felt like one, too.

"And while it may not be the time, I want to say..." He lost his words, trying to figure out how to finish his sentence. "I love you."

Jeongin blanked, his breath and body was as still as a painting. Minho's starry eyes filled with emotions, worries that he shouldn't have confessed.

Jeongin had felt the same way as him, and he broke out into a smile. "I was worried you didn't have the same feelings as me..." Minho hugged him, burying his face in the other boy's shoulder.

The two boys went back to Minho's apartment, a big apartment that was a mix of home-like and fancy. They stood at the entrance and gently kissed, emotions all put into it. It was innocent, it was gentle yet rough, and it was full of all the words they couldn't say aloud.

Minho broke away when they both needed air, instead hugging Jeongin close again. He guided the two of them to the kitchen and sat Jeongin down at the kitchen bar stool. He brightly smiled at Jeongin, making his heart rate increase in how utterly beautiful his smile was.

He watched with a fond smile at Minho opened the fridge to make a simple dinner for the two. While watching the food cook, Minho broke the comfortable silence and turned to Jeongin. "I figured we could spend the rest of the night watching movies and having fun." 

Jeongin was helpless and filled with questions. The main one was how the world even came close to deserving someone like Minho, someone who's smile held the sun, someone who's looks could make you speechless. Minho had liked him no less, someone like Jeongin who was a mess in both life, family, and emotions all at the same time.

He almost cried when Minho excitedly put the finished food on the coffee table alongside some hot chocolate and coffee for the two. He was trying to control his emotions as Minho dragged him to the couch and plopped him on his lap, holding his waist and cuddling his neck.

What was this man doing to him? His existence should be illegal - actually no, because then he couldn't spend time with him. 

The two watched movies and Jeongin had forgotten his worries and relaxed for once since the incident. They had a fun dance party that was weird and random, but the amount of times Jeongin had laughed was more than he had ever laughed in his life. Minho kissed him again by the end of the night, snuggling next to Jeongin on the wide double bed and holding him close.

Jeongin had never slept so soundly. The two woke and went to work together, the other staff congratulating the two on finally getting together. Jeongin had an amazing day full of smiles up until someone came in and his smile dropped of his face in a heartbeat,

"Seungmin," he greeted with a clenched jaw. The other staff subtly and worriedly watched at the two tense boys interacted. "Hi, big brother..." Seungmin gulped out, offering a small yet sad smile at him.

"What do you want? I'm working right now." Minho flinched a bit at how pained and cold his tone was. Just what had happened to Jeongin for him to sound so heartbroken? "I know, I just-" Seungmin struggled with his words, trying to explain it with his hands instead. "When you're done work, I'd like to talk to you. Please." 

Seungmin's soft voice got to Jeongin, and the latter wanted to break down in emotions. He missed his brother more than anything. To Jeongin, Seungmin was like his own child. He raised him since he was a baby, gave up his own education so the boy could go to college.

But so many memories held him back from ever reaching out to Seungmin after the argument. He hoped Seungmin was happy and wouldn't return to his screwed up life. Nothing had really gone how Jeongin wanted with family though, it was all just wishful thinking.

"Fine, just sit at an empty table and I'll bring you some hot chocolate." Seungmin excitedly smiled and rushed to sit at a table near the window. Jeongin thought he looked like when he was little and innocent, a little puppy following Jeongin around. Jeongin missed those days, when there was still someone who stayed by his side and looked up to him. He had Minho, but he meant a brother figure.

He made the coffee in silence and only relaxed when Minho hugging him tightly in comfort before rushing off to tend to costumers. It was silent comfort, one Jeongin needed more than anything right now..

When work ended, Minho said he'd wait for Jeongin out in the car even if Jeongin said no. Jeongin smiled and thanked him, sliding into the opposite chair of Seungmin's table with fresh new cups of hot chocolate.

"What did you want to talk about?" His tone was patient, calm, even if inwardly he was anything but. "I'm sorry for leaving, I don't know what you went through then and I can't say I will ever know. I know all you had left was me and I selfishly left you behind." 

Jeongin clenched his fists, trying to control his anger at the painful memories of when his life went downhill. "That day I left... I learned from then on how to be independent. I never realized how much I depended on you and how thankful I am for you." Jeongin didn't get where this was going, but he was too emotional to speak. His mind was everywhere, the feelings he kept bottled up forcing their way out again.

"I wanted nothing more than to run back and give you a hug back then, and that still hasn't changed now. I remembered how you hugged me, as if a shield was blocking me from the dangers of the world. It wasn't fair to you that you had to shoulder anything, and even now I still look up to you." Jeongin stared at him, trying to sort his thoughts out and figure out what Seungmin was trying to say.

"What I mean is, I want to be your little brother again. I know I messed up badly, and that I don't deserve this at all. If you can't decide now, please call me and let me know. I'll see you around, thank you for everything." Seungmin slipped a paper with his number and address, grabbing his full cup of hot chocolate and leaving.

Jeongin sat there trying to absorb the information he just heard. When Seungmin left, he gave Jeongin thousands of painful memories and feelings. He hadn't realized the warm tears slip down his cheeks and his stinging eyes until he heard footsteps come from behind him. Minho walked about twenty minutes later, engulfing a shocked and crying Jeongin into his warm embrace. 

"It's okay, I may not know what happened, but I'm here for you." Jeongin let out his emotions that day, told Minho everything that happened and cried himself to sleep in Minho's arms.

\---

Jeongin made the choice of welcoming back Seungmin into his life. When Minho and Jeongin got married, Seungmin got to be his best man. The crowd was coworkers and new friends he had made over the years, including their new father figures, Chan and Woojin. They met in a very funny way, one that was always a mood-lifter on sad and happy days alike. But that was a story for another day.

Chan cried during the wedding, cried when the couple adopted a beautiful little girl and named her after their best friend Felix's sister, Olivia. Olivia was their surrogate mother, and she had turned into Jeongin's best friend and sister.

Minho's best friend and best man, Hyunjin, was always a treat to be around. He was a ball of sunshine, never failed to make everyone smile at how adorable he was. Jeongin wouldn't lie and say that Jisung was like his little brother, he always felt protective over and innocent ball of fluff. Jisung was even more adorable, arguably more like a kid than Hyunjin.

That could be said for Seungmin too, but again, a story for another day. Jeongin now had many stars in his life, a galaxy full of bright smiles and occasional rainy days. His father hadn't contacted either brothers, but Jeongin couldn't be happier than he was now.

And no matter what time it was, day or night, Jeongin would always say that Minho was the brightest and biggest star of them all.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed it and again, thank you for reading! I hope you all have a great day, much love~ <3


End file.
